Sunday, July 15, 2012

Here is a rough map of my hypothetical variant on the Traveller Imperium, inspired by a post by Daryen at the Mongoose boards. The idea is to "shrink" the Official Traveller Universe into 3x3 sectors, centered on the Spinward Marches, with most major powers present.

Here is the map:

Each major power is about a sector or so in size, enough for a serious campaign but still comprehensible in scale. As Tech Level is TL13 in most places, this means that you can get from Deneb (the Imperial capital) to the Foreven Frontier in 14-15 or so jumps - far enough for a frontier feel yet close enough for interesting political communications.

Now, on to the big question: what is the Imperium? I imagine it as a
glorified cartel of the major Merchant Houses (AKA Zaibetsus), a bit
similar to the Guild in Dune. The Imperium exists to facilitate
commerce, especially by the Merchant Houses, and maintains a starport on
most worlds, but does not intervene in local politics, or even small
inter-world wars as long as the trade keeps flowing in and out. When a
local regime threatens commerce, a trade embargo is usually more
intimidating than the power-armoured Imperial Legions, though the latter
are always ready to step on any local ruler who challenges the Imperial
power. The Imperium allows for smaller traders, of course, but the
major lines are owned by the Great Houses. "Nobility" is standing in the
Great Houses; a Baron is usually a local Factor at a starport or his or
her family; the Emperor is chosen by the Moot composed of the
representatives of the Great Houses.

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Oh, and no
"Grandfather" in this ATU. There were multiple species of Ancients,
including (but not limited to) the Droyne, Hivers and Darrians. And
maybe also something more Cthulhu-esque. Who knows. But all Humans
spread around space, and, eventually, colonized the space beyond the
Great Rift, in the little-known days before the Long Night - rather than
being transplanted by the Ancients. 299 years ago, the Imperium rose
from the ashes of the Long Night and so did the local alien powers (who
were also probably affected by whatever has caused the Long Night in the
first place.

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Most powers - Imperium, Zhodani, K'Kree,
Vargr, Aslan - are TL13. The Imperium and Zhodani are mid-late TL13,
while the K'Kree, Vargr and Aslan are lower-end Tech-13. The Hivers are
TL15 (and sell late-TL13 goods to their trade partners, including the
Imperium); the Droyne range from TL0 to TL16; and the Darrians are TL14.